Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In El Paso, TX, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $46,110 at the median, or about $22.17 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.91), which stretches that salary to about $51,285 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $973/month, or 29.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $46K get you in El Paso?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Paso’s Regional Price Parity (89.91). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in El Paso
Pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in El Paso runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $973/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in metros near El Paso, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $52K | $50K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $50K | $51K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $48K | $51K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $51K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, El Paso, TX
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $90K | +57% | 220 |
| Illinois | $81K | +40% | 1,310 |
| New Jersey | $80K | +40% | 740 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +36% | 420 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +33% | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +32% | 280 |
| Alaska | $75K | +30% | 140 |
| California | $75K | +30% | 790 |
| Montana | $66K | +15% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $66K | +14% | 280 |
| Washington | $64K | +12% | 640 |
| Nevada | $64K | +11% | 730 |
| Indiana | $62K | +8% | 1,530 |
| West Virginia | $61K | +7% | 650 |
| Oregon | $61K | +7% | 310 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +7% | 520 |
| Colorado | $61K | +6% | 820 |
| Arizona | $60K | +5% | 560 |
| Vermont | $60K | +4% | 250 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +4% | 50 |
| Virginia | $59K | +4% | 1,150 |
| Iowa | $59K | +3% | 560 |
| Michigan | $59K | +3% | 880 |
| Idaho | $59K | +2% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $59K | +2% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $59K | +2% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $58K | +2% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +1% | 990 |
| Ohio | $58K | +1% | 1,120 |
| New York | $58K | +1% | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $58K | +0% | 730 |
| Missouri | $57K | -1% | 310 |
| Maine | $56K | -3% | 230 |
| Utah | $54K | -5% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $54K | -7% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -8% | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -9% | 1,520 |
| Florida | $52K | -9% | 1,480 |
| Georgia | $50K | -12% | 1,180 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 550 |
| Texas | $49K | -15% | 5,030 |
| Kansas | $49K | -15% | 270 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -16% | 290 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -16% | 280 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -17% | 790 |
| Alabama | $48K | -17% | 410 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -18% | 1,440 |
| Delaware | $47K | -18% | 130 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -20% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when El Paso numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining afford a 2BR apartment alone in El Paso?
Yes — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in El Paso?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,053/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining a high-paying job in El Paso?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $46K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does El Paso compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
El Paso pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in El Paso, TX?
The median is $46,110 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,210, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $57,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in El Paso?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,257/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 29.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary go in El Paso?
El Paso has a Regional Price Parity of 89.91 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary is worth about $51,285 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.